Christmas for Two
by HecateA
Summary: In which James feels the pressure and rises to the occasion when Lily decides to spend her first Christmas ever at Hogwarts. Oneshot.


**Merry Christmas everyone! This story was a Christmas present for my friend Hummus and Peeta aka Mama Bird aka My Literal Rock. I hope you all had happy times today, enjoy this story!**

 **Disclaimer: You know I don't own this**

* * *

 **Christmas for Two**

* * *

 _Someday at Christmas there'll be no wars  
When we have learned what Christmas is for  
When we have found what life's really worth  
There'll be peace on earth_

 _Someday all our dreams will come to be_  
 _Someday in a world where men are free_  
 _Maybe not in time for you and me_  
 _But someday at Christmas time_

-Steview Wonder, _Someday at Christmas_

* * *

« It's a shame you finally got her, Potter, » Sirius said as they watched Lily stray from the Gryffindor table to get to potions early. "She's too good for you."

"Helpful as always, Sirius," James said reading through the notes she'd taken in charms for him while he'd been in the infirmary, having the bones of his leg mended by good old Madam Pomfrey.

"I like Lily," Peter said encouragingly. "I think she's good for you."

"Thank you Wormtail," James said. "A true friend Sirius, you should take notes."

"Suck up," Sirius told Wormtail who stuck out his tongue in response.

"I didn't know that she was staying at the castle for Christmas," Remus chimed in, stirring a spoon through his oatmeal like he'd been doing since James had poured him a bowl. He'd even put cinnamon in it damnit, but Remus still wasn't eating. It had been three days since the full moon, so James, a little concerned, dropped another spoonful of sugar onto Moony's breakfast.

"She told James a few days ago," Sirius said. "Must have been after you'd gone back home to deal with your rabbit again."

"Yes, he was particularly vengeful this visit," Remus said yawning and pushing the bowl of oatmeal away. Peter carefully poured him a cup of tea and placed it under Remus' nose. He took about half a sip and then warmed his hands around the mug. Peter looked at James and shrugged.

"It's good that she's staying," Remus said, trying to distract his worried friends. "It'll give you time together during the break."

"Yes," Sirius said. "Time which I sure wonder what they will spend doing since so many rooms in the castle will be empty and…"

"That's enough out of you, Black," James said. "There are first years at this table. As Head Boy it is my duty and privilege to strive in the protection of their innocence."

"I think it's weird," Peter said. "I mean, there's always been one of us at the castle since, what, third year?"

In their third year, the full moon had coincided with the holidays and Remus had stayed for the convenience of access to the Shrieking Shack, in fourth year they had stayed to study the library's limited collection of books on Animagus, and from then on they'd stayed so that Sirius would neither go home to London or be lonely.

"Third year, yes," Remus validated.

"And she always goes home."

"Don't be daft, Peter," James said. "Her mum's died. She doesn't want to be home for the holidays. I wouldn't want to be in a house where I lost someone for Christmas either."

"But she has family still," Peter said.

"She gets along with her dad," Sirius said. "He always has one of those muggle cameras where the pictures stand still at the train, every year, to take her picture. And there's her sister, right?"

James shifted on the bench and nibbled on a piece of bacon.

"Prongs, she's staying for you!" Peter said excitedly.

"Atta boy, Prongs," Sirius said. "See? I told you Christmas would be a time of good cheer and great-"

Two first year girls scrambled away from the table, red to their hairlines, and left the Dining Hall eagerly.

"So what if she is?" James said. "I stay for you Black, and I don't see you writing me sonnets."

"All in good time, once I find the right rhyme," Sirius winked.

"I think Lily's vocabulary would rival yours considerably," Remus said. "Her sense of rhythm would give yours little chance."

"Yes, but I have _style,"_ Sirius said. "Now to steer this conversation back to Jamie here, you know what this means don't you?"

James froze, bacon hanging out of his mouth.

"Don't be daft," Sirius said. "You have to _make_ Christmas notable this year."

"What?" James asked.

"Oye," Sirius said. "How is it I'm managing your love life and getting no sex in return?"

"Crude as Sirius is, he may be right," Remus said. "If Lily's staying for me, you're going to have to provide a happy Christmas."

"It's true," Peter said. "Playing the radio Christmas games in the common room while eating marshmallows in our pajamas won't do. Prongs, Christmas Day just became the most important date of your life. If you ruin a girl's Christmas…"

"No pressure, though," Sirius said clamping a hand on James' shoulder. "Just remember, you always have me to fall back on."

"You couldn't even write me a haiku," James said, although his stomach was twisted in knots.

* * *

"Hello, Professor Ekawa?" James said knocking on the door. The little man looked up and smiled in James' direction.

"Hello M. Potter," Ekawa said. "What can I do for you today? You're not looking to enroll in a Muggles' Studies class, are you?"

"No sir," James said. "No offence, sir. My mother won't let me drop Ancient Runes for the sake of the world."

Ekawa chuckled. "That does sound like Euphemia… How is she, James?"

"Mum's doing great, sir," James said. "But I do have a question about muggles. What do they do for Christmas?"

"What do you mean, James?" Ekawa said. "Do they celebrate it?"

"No, I know they do," James said. "I was wondering _how."_

"Ah," Ekawa said. "A good question. Well, they sing many of the same carols as we do. A character known as Santa Clause exists in muggle folklore, and he's heavily associated with the holiday season- said to fly around the world delivering presents to children after spending all year fabricating them in the North Pole with a crew of small elves."

James' jaw dropped.

"Yes, he's quite strange- he appears in certain of their carols. Here, let me jot down a book title for you, you may find a picture of him at the library."

"Thank you," James said, reading over the professor's shoulder. _Fictional Characters Incorporated into Muggle Reality for the Strange Purposes of Holidays and Existentialism._

"Let's see, what else can I tell you… they eat many of the same foods the house elves would make here at Hogwarts. Going to Church at midnight is much more popular with the muggles, religion is much more impressive when you can't duplicate the miracles and magic yourself I suppose- now there's an _extremely_ interesting topic in the field of muggle studies. It's a time of family as well, that's the chief function of the muggle Christmas. Peace, love, gift-giving, sharing… There are of course regional differences, and different families elaborate their own traditions. The adaptation of muggle media to Christmas themes is quite admirable."

"Muggle media?" James asked.

"Why yes," Ekawa said. "Movies, television…"

James frowned.

Ekawa scribbled down another book title. _Understanding the Remarquable Muggle Invention of the Television (Otherwise Known as the TV) and its Implications Within Muggle Society._

"Thanks," James said. "So these are all things that a muggle would recognize from the Christmas holidays? And a muggle-born too?"

"Yes," Ekawa said. "Why do you ask, James?"

"I had a bet going on with Pettigrew," James said. "I think I'll win now, thank you professor."

* * *

 _"Dear M. Joseph Evans and Ms. Petunia Evans,_

 _My name is James and I am one of Lily's friends from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. We have been classmates since our first year as we are both Gryffindors, you may have heard of me before._

 _To celebrate Christmas and help Lily feel at home in the castle during the holidays, I was wondering if you could possibly share some muggle Christmas traditions that Lily is particularly fond of._

 _This owl is enchanted to wait for your answer and then return to the school. Simply write out a response and attach it to the leather band on the bird's claw if you wish to do so. She may want water before returning to Hogwarts. Should you have an owl of your own you would prefer using I perfectly understand; simply dismiss the bird with the command_ 'alouette' _and she will return to Hogwarts._

 _Thank you for your help, I am eagerly awaiting your response._

 _Regards,_

 _James Ignotus Potter."_

* * *

Sirius howled with laughter and Peter fell off his chair. Remus suppressed a smile.

"I mean, from an academic standpoint I understand the appeal of this… Saint Nicholas?" Remus said.

"They call him Santa Clause," James said. Sirius only laughed harder.

" _Silencio,"_ Remus said, hexing Sirius. "I will not be thrown out of the library because self-control is your hubris, Sirius. Peter, get back on your chair."

Sirius waved his hand frantically until James unhexed him.

"You know what this means, don't you Prongs?" Sirius said. "You're going to have to dress us as this fat old bastard."

James hexed him into silence again.

"Who told you about this joke?" Peter asked. "Did the Evans' return your owl?"

James chewed the inside of his cheek. In truth, the bird had been returned alone and no answer had followed. Perhaps the Evans were confused, and had tried sending a letter to Hogwarts through the muggle postal services. Ekawa's books in the library were surprisingly informative, so James thought he would manage.

"I know things about muggles," James scoffed.

"Yes, and my mother once kissed one," Sirius said.

"I keep forgetting you can rid yourself of silencing hexes," Remus sighed.

"How could you? Your life is so much better since I've acquired this skill," Sirius said. Peter laughed.

"Don't encourage him, Wormtail," James warned.

* * *

James leaned against the bar.

"Madam Rosmerta, you look lovely as ever," he smiled.

Madam Rosmerta turned to face him and blew a strand of hair out of your face.

"And you are a charming flirt as ever James Potter," she said. "But the fact remains that you are underage."

"Why Madam Rosmerta, I wouldn't dream of asking you to do something unlawful for my sake," James said.

Sirius snickered, but Remus elbowed him to shut him up.

"Remus," Madam Rosmerta smiled. "We missed you last time Hogwarts had a Hogsmead visit. You must be wanting a cup of your Gingernut and Cinnamonberry hot chocolate just about now."

"If that's not too much trouble, Madam Rosmerta," Remus said politely.

"Oh, nothing is for you boys," she said. "Peter, butterbeer? M. Black, you'll take a cup of cider, I'll put Galleons on that. James...?"

"Nothing for me, Madam Rosmerta," James said. "Just a favour."

"A favour," Madam Rosmerta said. "Just remember, you promised nothing illegal…"

"Oh I know," James said. "I know. See, I noticed you were closed on Christmas Day to anybody but tenants."

"That's right," Madam Rosmerta said.

"You know Lily, right?" James said.

"She's a sweetheart," Madam Rosmerta said. "Sometimes she helps third-years with their homework at that table by the window."

Peter received his butterbeer, blue straw tucked into the mug because Rosmerta knew he loved it, and Sirius' cup of apple cider was given an extra cinnamon stick.

"Yeah, she's bloody brilliant," James said. "So beautiful. So kind."

"I feel like my life is flashing in front of my eyes," Sirius said. He was mercifully shut up by Remus once again.

"My, my, James Potter," Madam Rosmerta said. "We've a bit of a thing for Mrs. Evans, have we?"

"It's massive, Madam Rosmerta, I'm surprised you haven't noticed it dripping off of him on his way in."

Peter snickered and Remus shook his head resigned, but it was alright because Madam Rosmerta laughed too.

"Chin up James," she said. "I think it's adorable."

"So does Lily," James said. "We've been going out for a few months. I don't know if you remember, but last April I bought her a butterbeer here? After her mum had died, the first weekend we were back? It wasn't officially our first date, but it was close."

"Oh that's sweet," Madam Rosmerta said. She sprinkled a dash of chocolate shavings on Remus' drink for good measure before serving it.

"Right," James said. "I wanted to do something special for her, for Christmas. I wondered if you're let us come in for a butterbeer on Christmas night. I was going to bring her to the Hogsmeade Christmas Market, since there's a Christmas market in her hometown she won't be able to go to…"

Madam Rosmerta looked at him and then sighed, sweeping their coins into her apron with a wide arm motion.

"When have I ever said no to any of you boys?" Madam Rosmerta said. She laughed. "Bring your Lily in, James, I'll make the five extra steps to find you two butterbeers."

* * *

"Santa Clause puts oranges in peoples' shoes?" Peter asked. "Why would he do that?"

"I don't know, but it's what muggles think on Christmas," James said. "Or at least some of them."

"Is Lily one of those muggles?" Sirius hissed back.

"I don't know," James said.

"Well that would have been a nice thing to confirm before bringing us all to Slughorn's personal storehouse," Sirius said. "Damnit, _lumos."_

His wand lit up again.

"Anything orange and the size of a fist will do," James said. "Don't have time to get a _real_ orange, not at this time of the year."

"This looks about right?"

"Wormtail, have you ever seen an orange in your life?" Sirius asked. "James could cut off a rat's head and it would look closer."

"Oye there," James said. "If you'd have wanted to be on guard duty, you should have spoken up before Moony. Now your job is to shut up and look Padfoot."

"What if I find something sunset orange and not quite orange-orange? Think you could hex that? Oh, no, this is poisonous."

"Yeah don't bring that back up," Sirius said. "Evans might use it to murder him one day."

"Aha," James said. He'd just found a fossilized dragon egg. That was close enough.

"Well done," Peter whispered.

"Yeah, and no thanks to your stupid arse, Black," James said.

They heard chains rumbling in the hall, followed immediately by Moony's signal.

"Damnit," James said. "Not the Bloody Baron, not the Bloody Baron…"

"He already hates us because we're Gryffindor!"

"Also because we are petty thefts," Remus said slipping into the classroom with the cloak. "Come on everyone, underneath you go. Peter, time to become a rat."

* * *

" _Hellebores Appareum,"_ James said, waving his wand in a wide circle.

Daisies littered the floor of the classroom.

Peter picked one up and plucked the flowers. "She's dazzled by your magical prouesse, she thinks you're daft. She's dazzled by your magical prouesse…"

"Oh look at that, there's an even number of petals," Sirius said.

"I don't suppose any of you know how to make Christmas roses appear from thin air, do you?" James asked.

"James, you're focusing too much," Remus said. "Charms isn't like transfiguration, you don't need to have a specific picture in your head. You need to leave room for the magic, for some flowers to have an extra petal, for the stem to be long or short…"

"There's Flitwick's little helper," Sirius said.

"Fat help the rest of you lot are being," James said. " _Hellebores Appareum… »_

 _« Hey, »_ Sirius said. "I know what else you could summon to impress Lily."

"What," James asked.

"A bundle of toys and a little round belly that'll shake when you laugh like a bowlful of jelly," Sirius said.

"I will not dress us as Santa Clause," James said.

"Sirius, leave James alone," Remus said, looking up from his book. "I don't suppose you have a girl to impress this Christmas, do you?"

Peter laughed nearly as hard as James did.

* * *

"Okay, places everyone," James said. "We're going to take it from Mara's line okay? That's you, Mrs. Fat Lady. Miss Boleyn? Umm, Anne? Yes, sorry, you're part of the courtroom audience, you need to sit over there. Think of this like a… like a play, okay? A play in a portrait."

He wasn't sure what the actual frame for a television was for or how the moving pictures got _into_ a television, but James figured that reuniting portrait figures in an elaborately decorated picture frame was pretty close to the TV movies were shown on.

"A muggle play," the portrait-figure of Anne Boleyn said. She scrunched her nose. "Are we presenting to muggles?"

"No ma'am," James said. "Just to a muggle-born, she's an incredibly talented witch. Her name is Lily. This is part of her Christmas present."

"And a mighty chivalrous deed that is, my dear boy!" Sir Cadogan said. He drew his sword and his horse reared onto its back legs in a panic. James closed his eyes and sighed.

"Mister…"

"Sir!"

"Yes, Sir Cadogan," James said. "You can't have your horse with you during this."

"Why?" Sir Cadogan asked, offended as he pushed the visor on his helmet back.

"There are no horses in the script, Sir," James said. " _Miracle on 34th Street_ is Lily's favourite Christmas movie- play- play, it's her favourite play. If a horse suddenly appears during the courtroom scene, she will notice."

"She would, she's quite brilliant," the portrait-figure of Elizabeth Burke said. "Sometimes, when I'm in my portrait by the dungeons, I can hear her discussing with Professor Slughorn, she's quite fabulous."

"Yes," James said losing his patience. "Lily is great. Lily is fabulous. Lily is the best thing that's ever happened to me- which is why I'd really like it if we could get back into place to start rehearsals from the top. Mara, Fat Lady- Mrs. Fat Lady pardon- take it away."

The portrait-figures settled down and the Fat Lady spoke her line.

"Now, uh, this is not a trial, Mr. Kringle. It's just a hearing, so you don't have to answer any questions. (CLEARS THROAT) Now then, uh, where do you live, please?"

"Fat Lady- I'm sorry, Mrs. Fat Lady, you don't actually read 'clears throat'. You pretend to clear yours."

"Oh, right you are James," The Fat Lady Said.

"You didn't review your lines at all, did you?" Edgar Stroulger said.

"No need to start bickering," James said. "No need. Let's just… start again."

The Fat Lady spoke again; ""Now, uh, this is not a trial, Mr. Kringle. It's just a hearing, so you don't have to answer any questions." She pretended to clear her throat. "Now then, uh, where do you live, please?"

"Well, it seems to me that's what his hearing will decide, won't it?" Merlin said. He had the biggest, whitest beard out of any portrait in the castle and a wicked team spirit. This was the best James could do for his M. Kringle- Santa Claus.

"COURTROOM LAUGHTER!" Sir Cadogan cried.

"No Sir, that's another one of those things you need to _act_ not _say,"_ James said, sighing.

The portraits burst out laughing. It was a little cringe-worthy.

The Fat Lady, Mara, spoke again. "Mr Kingle- do you believe that you are Santa Claus?"

"Of course I do."

"That's all your honour, the state rests its case."

Rowena Ravenclaw, who had been delighted at being asked to play JUDGE, spoke up: "Well, Mr. Gailey?"

M. Google Stumps, a portrait James had never noticed again after putting him on the Marauder's Map but who had apparently met Shakespeare once, spoke up. "Your Honor, Mr Mara-"

"Mrs. Mara," Ravenclaw spoke up.

"Pardon, Madam Ravenclaw? We changed M. Mara to Mrs. Mara so that the Fat Lady could play the part," James said. "We ran out of male portrait volunteers."

"Why, I could have done it, James my boy!" Sir Cadogan said.

He blinked once.

"Oh no." James said. "I should have thought of that earlier. Oh well. I think it would be too much trouble to switch the parts now. The Fat Lady has worked so hard on her part and you… you're the best Courtroom Extra #6 I could ever imagine."

"Right you are my boy!" Sir Cadogan said. "There is no honour in leaving a task unfinished!"

"Right," James said. "M. Stump, could you make a note on your script please ? Mrs. Mara, not M. Mara."

"I think my character is unmarried," the Fat Lady interjected.

"Okay then, Miss Mara," James said. "Now can we get on staging the rest of the movie- I mean play?"

M. Stump recited his line. "Your Honor, Miss Mara contends my client is not sane because he believes he is Santa Clause-"

"Who is this Santa Clause character again?" A portrait, James thought it was Gunther the Violent, asked.

"I will defeat him in a duel!" Announced Sir Cadogan.

"No," James said. "You will not. I'm not entirely clear on the premise, but Santa Clause seems to be a lovable character… Would you fight Merlin, Sir Cadogan?"

"With all due respect I wouldn't advise it, my brave sir," Merlin said. "Oh, isn't that the young lady you are trying to swoon, M. Potter?"

Shit.

Slug Club had finished early.

"Hide!" James said. "And not a word! I'll send Peeves with a message next time we can practice, good run everyone!"

Portraits dove out of the frame just as James turned around in time to stop Lily from jumping at him with a 'BOO!' She was wearing a pretty purple dress from the mortal world tonight, and her hair had clips in it that looked like flowers.

"Nearly got you," she smiled.

"Absolutely," James agreed kissing her forehead.

"What are you doing out here? I thought you had a fever. Professor Slughorn was quite distraught to learn that you would be missing tonight's club meeting. Again."

"You can't blame me for wanting out on those," James said. "Not when I could be spending time with you instead…"

His arms snaked around her waist and tugged her closer. She smiled.

"UNCHIVALROUS!" Cried Sir Cadogan, hiding in a portrait about ten feet over James' head. His jaw locked, Lily jumped.

"Oh God," Lily said. "I thought Professor Dumbledore had really convinced him that the basement needed guarding twenty four hours a day..."

"Let's just go back to the Common Room," James said, sliding his arm up to circle her shoulders and leading her away. "Now tell me all about what wonderful things Slughorn sees in your future."

"Stop," Lily blushed. She was so cute when she blushed.

"Tell me," James said. "Or maybe I'll have to invent a few."

* * *

"James, this is your worst idea yet," Remus said.

"Well I can't dress up the house elves, can I?" James asked. " _Stupefy."_

The spell hit another one of the garden gnomes, who promptly froze in place.

"There," James said. "That will teach you to rip off your angel wings."

"James, that was the ugliest angel I've seen in my entire life," Sirius said. "Please, for God's sake, stop."

"It doesn't look _that_ bad," James said in defense of his nativity scene. "Once I get the Three Wisemen all dressed up, it'll be fairly good I think."

"The Virgin Mary looks like a potato," Peter said.

"Not only is this ugly, it is blasphemous," Remus said. "I'm fairly certain that is one of the behaviors that Lily finds uncharming in you."

"She'll think you're making fun of her hometown's tradition, not celebrating it," Peter said. "I feel a little offended just by looking at it myself."

"James, give up now and we'll help you sneak the garden gnomes back into the greenhouses before Professor Sprouts notices," Sirius promised. "If you give up later you're on your own."

 _"Fine,"_ James said. "Suppose I'll have to bribe some first years to make a live Nativity scene."

"That is also unethical," Remus argued.

"It will be a little nicer to look at, let him do it," Sirius said grabbing the empty crate of fertilizer they'd previously used to transport the garden gnomes. "Oh, you know what would be nice, Prongs?"

"What?"

"If you dressed up as that Santa Clause bloke."

James took the crate from Sirius. "I'll clean up myself, thanks."

* * *

He was starting on Christmas Night. Christmas Eve was _the_ night.

For starters, he was escorting her to the Slug Club's Christmas Eve party. After that he was going to bring her to the astronomy tower, so that they could look at the stars and the snow and he'd even left out bread and milk to lure colourful fairies from the woods. Hopefully that would look enough like muggle Christmas lights. James was a little nervous, he had never seen any for himself.

Then he'd convinced his mother to send him Christmas baking in advance and so they'd pig out on shortbread and gingerbread and cinnamon stars and date squares and peppermint truffles. He'd told the Marauders to stay the hell up in their bedroom while he and Lily were downstairs (having given them the other half of the baking sent in), and he knew that Regina Miller was so excited to have been invited to the Christmas party that she wouldn't be lurking in the common room either. They would have peace and quiet and tea and a collection of picture books on Christmas he'd borrowed from Ekawa and the library's fairly small Muggle Studies collection. Someone as smart as Evans must have had a favourite book as a kid.

Tomorrow she'd have her "orange" in her shoes and presents under the tree they'd transported from the greenrooms to the common room _ages_ ago and breakfast in pajamas (James had convinced all the remaining Gryffindors to wear their pajamas to breakfast to make Lily think this was a normal occurrence). Then there was all the food of Christmas Day, all the chess she and Remus could play, their movie in the afternoon and then supper and then out to the village for the Hogsmeade Christmas Market and butterbeer and…

James. Had. This. Covered.

He and Lily were going to meet in the dungeons, since James was serving his last detention of the year just before the party.

James had produced his Christmas roses beforehand, not confident that under the pressure of Lily's soft green eyes he would be able to summon a bouquet. He wore his best black robes and held the flowers tightly.

Lily looked stunning, in a pine green wizarding gown with ruffles from the waist to the ground. Her hair was put up in a chignon, golden beads and chains woven across the red strands. James' jaw was open when she looked up from the ground and saw him waiting.

"You look beautiful," James managed to stutter.

Lily frowned.

"What happened to your hair?" Lily asked.

James touched it. "I- I combed it. And flattened it. To make it nice for the party."

Out of every reaction he'd anticipated, Lily bursting into tears wasn't one of them and yet _there they were._

"Hey," James said. "Hey, Lily… Lils, what's…"

He spotted a group of Slytherins including Severus Snape on their way to the party. Uh oh.

"Lily, let's go in here," James said putting a hand on her waist to gently steer her into an empty class. Peeves was relocating chewed gum from underneath desks up to the ceiling.

"Peeves, I'll give you a nice shiny sickle if you leave," James said tossing the coin into the air.

Peeves cackled and left without even noticing the crying Lily. James kicked the door shut behind him and steered Lily to a table, picking her up and setting her down on the table. She wiped her eyes with her wrists.

"I'm sorry if I accidentally made my hair look worst," James said.

Lily took a deep, shaky breath. "No, I'm sorry, it's not that, you look handsome, you do. It's just… so different."

"Okay," James said. He ran a hand through his hair self-consciously to ruffle it back up.

"No, don't, I'm sorry, it really looks nice," Lily said. She sniffled again and wiped at her eyes some more. "It's just… Different is hard right now."

James ran a hand up and down her back. "What's wrong, Lily? Talk to me, this isn't like you. Not anytime, especially not on Christmas."

"Christmas is just hard this year," Lily said. "I mean, mum passed away after all our birthdays and after Easter… It's the first holiday without her."

"You should have gone home for the holidays Lily," James said. "Your dad and your sister would understand."

Lily choked a little and bit her lip and shook her head and James felt like a felon.

"No," Lily said. "No, umm… My sister's bringing her boyfriend home for Christmas. Mum was… Mum was good at paying attention to Petunia, at making her feel better about me being a witch. Umm… She wrote to me in September that she didn't want Vernon, that's the boyfriend, to meet me yet. She… I don't think Dad knows about this… He's a muggle, you see, Vernon. She thinks muggles should know muggles and people like me- I mean, witches and wizards..."

"Oh, Lily…" James said. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay," Lily said. "It's not your… not your fault."

"That's horrible," James said. "I… what can I do for you, Lily? Anything."

"You can't make me a muggle can you?" Lily tried to joke. "Don't worry about it, James. I'm just…"

"No, you're not _just_ anything," James said. "This is horrible. I wish you'd told me, Lily. I… Nobody deserves to be kicked out or replaced at Christmas. Nobody at all, and especially not you."

Lily nodded and wiped at her eyes, though James wasn't sure if she heard him.

"I'm not really in the mood for this party," Lily said.

"You look beautiful," James said. "It'd be a shame not to show off a bit. We can go in for a few minutes. I can have another fever. A headache. Maybe a seizure."

Lily smiled.

"I just want a quiet Christmas, I think," Lily said. "You know, if I'm not going to be with family, I don't… I don't really want to celebrate. I think it'll be easier."

"Okay," James said. "Okay. You'll go stun every one of Slughorn's desk, then we'll go back to the Common Room, sit on the couch, and we won't go out or talk to anybody else until Christmas is over. We won't even say the word 'Christmas' or 'Merry'. How about it?"

"That sounds wonderful," Lily said.

James nodded. "Then that's what we'll do. And Lily?"

"Yes?" She asked dabbing at the last of her tears.

"You know it doesn't matter what they say or what they do or how your sister treats you," James said. "Every time you'll ever need it, I will love you hard enough to make up for everyone else in this entire world."

That may not have been the right thing to say; Lily's eyes pooled with tears again and she leaned back against his chest.

It did, however, give James an excellent idea.

He slipped his wand out of his sleeve and tapped the tip of his wand to his cheek.

"Hey, Lily," James said. "Look up."

Lily pulled away and looked at him. She burst out laughing so hard, she nearly fell off the table and he had to catch her.

"You're Santa Clause!" She said reaching out to touch James' new curly white beard.

"Merry Christmas Lily Evans," he said. "Ha ha ha!"

"It's 'ho ho ho'," Lily said. "Merry Christmas, James Potter. Now turn back into yourself so that I can kiss you."

KRIS:


End file.
